Motard-Attack

Two Supermotos. One Twisty Road. Can It Get Any Better?

- Ashok George

If you look closely at the pictures on these pages, you will notice that the person in the black AGV isn’t familiar. Meet Aneesh. Aside from being a hotshot, fancy-pants lawyer, he is also the owner of a black Ducati Monster 821. But that’s not what makes me jealous of him. What really gets me upset is that somehow, he has managed to convince his friends to let him keep all their motorcycles. This means, Aneesh currently has in his garage – a Ducati Monster 821, a Ducati Monster 795, a Ducati Diavel and a Ducati Hypermotard 939 that belongs to his friend, Samarth. Now that last one there is what makes my heart beat a little faster every time he mentions it. You see, the Hypermotard is one motorcycle that I have been chasing for close to a decade. Through some cruel twist of fate, the red supermoto has evaded me all this while. I was beginning to accept defeat when along came another supermoto and rekindled that flame. From the day I first rode the Aprilia Dorsoduro 900, the urge to ride the Hypermotard only became stronger. And this was when I called up Aneesh, packed my bags, hopped on the Dorso and headed towards Bangalore. All to scratch this itch once and for all…

By definition, both the Hypermotard and Dorsoduro are supermotos – dirtbikes running street rubber. But in reality, the supermoto-ness is more a styling exercise than anything else. But as a styling exercise, they are both incredibly good looking motorcycles. In my books though, as much as I love the Dorso, the Ducati is a more eye-pleasing design. The Dorso might just be a bit too polarising. In a way, it’s a bit too out there. The Hyper on the other hand… Well, let’s just say I’ve not yet met one person who hasn’t liked the way the Hyper looks.